Marking tag strip for price marking produce



Feb. 16, 1954 F. RIEGER 2,669,047

MARKING TAG STRIP FOR PRICE MARKING PRODUCE Filed Dec. 50, 1950 ,drra mu: Y5

Patented Feb. 16, 1954 htttgii? MARKING TAG STRIPDFQEREPRICE MARKING Frederic L. Rieger, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to The Monarch Marking System, Dayton, Ohio, a cor- PRO poration of Ohio Application December 30, 1950, Serial N 0. 203,647

4 Claims.

This invention relates 0 price tags of the type manufactured and sold in strips which are adapted to be printed or otherwise processed in automatic marking machines. Specifically, this invention is directed to a price marking tag strip, of the type set forth, which comprises a plurality of tags designed for use in vegetable markets and grocery stores for price marking fresh produce and the like.

Practically all of the marking machines available operate in somewhat the same way. The strip of tags is advanced intermittently, one tag at a time, along a guideway to a printing station where each tag in turn is impressed with ap propriate indicia. In some instances, the tags are separated from the strip by a knife at the discharge end of the machine and in others, dependingupon the use made of the tags, the tags are dispensed in strip form. A majority of machines are designed to operate both ways and in I these machines provision is made for shifting the cut-off knife into or out of operating position. strip advance usually is accomplished by feed fingers, the fingers being arranged to reciprocate, engaging notches in the tag strip upon moving forward and sliding over the tag strip The present tag strip upon the return stroke. is intended for use in machines utilizing feed finger strip advancing means.

It is well recognized that processing price tags by automatic machines results in a substantial savings in 'both time and labor. Department stores and similar retail outlets have used these machines for years, and the efficiency of this method of'pricing articles has been proven be- 1 yond doubt.

In the recent past, some eiforts have been made lem of attaching a tag to produce is not particue larly difiicult inasmuch as it is usually marketed in bunches, and the bunches tied together with strings or rubber bands. In fact, the few hand 2 shaped clips or hooks attached to the tags to impede their free passage through the machines. An ideal tag strip for this purpose, is one which has no extraneous tag fastening devices and which follows the established pattern with regard to size and configuration.

In the preferred embodiment, the tag strip is formed from vulcanized paper stock of a type which resists wetting so that the'tag material does not disintegrate as a result of the mist dispensing sprays which usually are employed in markets to keep produce moist and fresh. In the strip, all of the tags are identical and are defined one from the other by lines of weakening, such as serrated lines. It has been found that the combination of the somewhat brittle vulcanized paper stock and the serrated lines of weakening makes it possible to break on" by hand the individual tags from the strip very readily. Thus, in using the tags they may be dispensed from the marking machine in strip form and taken in this easily handled form to the point of use.

In the unbroken strip, feed finger notches are provided on each of the lines of weakening between tags which are substantially diamondshaped. When the tags are separated, of course the diamond-shaped notches are split and as a result two V-shaped notches are provided at the respective sides of each tag. Each of these V- shaped notches provides a throat which assists in the attaching of thetags to the strings or rubof the strip through all of the diamond-shaped feed finger apertures. Thus, when the tag strip is being processed byv an automatic marking machine which utilizes a reciprocating feed finger,

marked tags which have been tried included wire or thin metal hooks designed to engage these ties. However, the hooks used on these tags made,

figuration must follow an established pattern.

For one thing, it is required that the strips in-' a positive lock for a string or rubber band enelude notches which are adapted to'recive' the 5 feed fingers. In addition, there can be no odd when the feed finger comes forward to engage in a notch, it is. notintercepted by an aperture lying between the feed finger'when at its re.

tracted. position and the notch to be next engaged when the feed finger starts forward. The feed finger rides past such an aperture on the strip material at the side of the aperture within itspath. The tangential disposition of the slit with respect to the aperture, in addition, provides gaged in the aperture.

Thus, the notches between tags in the strip At the innerterminus of each of the In each instance, the slit have two functions. While in strip form, they provide means for advancing the strip. When the tags are separated from the strip, they form. V-shaped throats for assisting in the fastening of the tag to a string or rubber band. The disposition of the aperture relative to the slit not only provides the hook-like, positive look but it also provides clearance for feed fingers when the strip is being processed in a marking machine.

These features and other objects and advantages of the invention willbe more fullyset forth in the following description of the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a stri -of marking tags made in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of a tag after it. has.

Figure 4, shows the tag after it has been ailixezi...

Figure 5 shows the tag afli'xed to. a, rubber. band which is on bunched produce.

Figure 6 shows the tag affixed to mesh material of the type, used for bagging certain types of produce such as potatoes andthe like.

In general, the tag strip shown in Figure 1 includes a plurality of tags II! which are defined one from; the other bytransverse serrated score lines II. At one side of the tag strip, the material is out out to provide slots 52 which extend inwardly from. the margin of the strip to diamond-shaped feed finger notches I3. The throat of each of the slots I2 preferably is rounded off as at I4. That portion of each of the tags between the two slots I2 constitutes, a header portion I5 which may carry'the name of the market or grocery'store usingv the tags.

I he preferred material for the tag is vulcanized paper stock. This material is not only substantially water-proof but it also exhibits a certain amount of brittleness which makes it very easy to separate the'individual tags from the strip along the lines of serration II with a snap-like motion, in which the strip material breaks cleanly. When so separated, the diamond-shaped feed finger notches I3 are split and provide two v-shaped notches Ifi i 6 which extend inwardly from the opposite side edges of the tag, see-Figure 2. At the inner terminus of each ofthe V-shaped notches IS, a slit I1 is made in the tag material. Each of these slits'terminate at a round aperture I8 which is cut in the tag material. It is to be notedthat each of the. apertures I8 is to the side of its slit IT, or in other words, each slit II extends tangentially from the aperture I8- thus providing a hook, or barb H where the slit meets the aperture.

Figure 3 shows the tag being afiixed' to a rubber band, therubber band being indicatedby the numeral 20. Affixing the tag is an exceedingly simple operation. The tag is turned so that the V-shapednotch I6 at one side of the tag engages the rubber band. The tag is then pressed'against the" band until itslips through the slit I'I into aperture l8. The other side of the tag is then secured to therubber' band by turning the tag so that the second notch I6 receives the rubber band in a similar manner. In Figure 3, the tag is completely afiixed atv one side only. In this figure, the rubber band is being held in a persons fingers. However, it is not necessary that the tag be affixed to the band or string before it-is attached to the-bunch of vegetables or the like. In the instances shown in through the slits 4 Figure 5, the tag is attached by slipping the header portion I5 between the rubber band and the vegetables and then twisting the tag first to one side to bring the band through slit II into the aperture and then twisting it to the other side to complete the engagement. Of course, it is not necessary that the face; of the tag be covered with that portion of the band or string which extends from aperture to aperture. This portion of the band or string may extend along the back of the tag. In order to effect such engagement, the tag is simply laid against the band or string and then twisted first left. and then right to bring the band or string into the apertures. This method of: amxing is utilized in Figure 6 where the tag is attached to mesh material ilI of the type used for bagging vegetables.

It will be appreciated that once the tag is afiixed onto a string or the like the barb I9 formed where slit I'l joins aperture I8 makesit practically impossible for the tag to become accidently disengaged.

Referring again to Figure 1, a path delineated by dot-dash lines is shown onseveral of thetags toward the middle of the strip. The path is indicated by numeral 22 and is that. part of the strip which is under the feed finger of an automatic processing machine when the strip is being fed through such a machine. It will. be noted that the diamond-shaped apertures- I3 all lie within this path but that the apertures it are only partially in it so that tag material, such as that indicated by the numeral .23 at the inner side of each of the apertures,.is provided to support the feed finger and keep it from engaging within an aperture I8 instead. of a feed finger notch I3 as it is supposed to do. Feed finger means for advancing marking tag strips. is a common expedient and" utilized in practically all marking machines, and since the present strip. may be processed in any machine utilizing them, it does not require a special machine designed only for use with these strips.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A strip of price marking tags comprising a plurality of tags defined onefrom the other by serrated lines of weakening extending, transversely of thestrip at equally spaced intervals, a substantially diamond-shaped feed finger notch cut through the strip on each of the lines of weakening providing a pair of substantially v-shaped throats at opposite sides of each tag in the strip, each tag pierced to provide apair of substantially circular apertures disposed between the respective V-shaped throats. but. tangent to a line extending longitudinally of, the strip and joining the inner" terminal of the throats, and each tag slit along said line between the respective throats and adjacent apertures whereby a tag separated from the strip is adapted to be secured onto a string or the like by forcing the string through the respective slits into. the apertures.

2 A strip of price marking tags comprising a plurality of tags defined one from the other by diamond-shaped feed finger notches which are spaced equally and aligned. longitudinally of the strip, a line of strip weakening serrations extending transversely of the strip from each of the notches to one edge of the strip, the strip slotted transversely from each of the notches tov the opposite edg of the strip, and each tag in .the strip pierced to provide a pair of substantially. circular apertures and a pair of slits, each slit 5 extending tangentially from an aperture to a notch and being disposed longitudinally of the strip to place said aperture to one side of said notch.

3. A strip of price marking tags comprising a plurality of tags defined one from the other by diamond-shaped feed finger notches which, are spaced equally and aligned longitudinally of the strip, a line of strip weakening serrations extending transversely of the strip from each of the notches to one edge of the strip, the strip slotted transversely from each of the notches to the opposite edge of the strip thereby defining a header portion for each of the tags, each tag pierced to provide a pair of substantially circular apertures disposed between the respective notches but tangent to a line extending longitudinally of the strip through the center of the notches and at the side of the longitudinal line adjacent the header portions of the tags, and each tag slit along said longitudinal line between the respective notches and adjacent apertures, whereby a tag separated from the strip is adapted to be secured onto a string or the like by forcing the string through the respective slits into the apertures.

4. A strip of price marking tags comprising a plurality of tags defined one from the other by 6 lines of weakening extending transversely of the strip at equally spaced intervals, a substantially diamond-shaped feed finger notch cut through the strip on each of the lines of weakening, said notches aligned longitudinally of the strip, each tag slit inwardly longitudinally of the strip from each of the notches at the respective sides of the tag, and each tag pierced to provide a pair of apertures, each of said slits terminating at an aperture in tangential relationship therewith.

FREDERIC L. RIEGE-R.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 274,348 Lewis Mar. 28, 1883 1,005,894 Lenseman Oct. 17, 1911 1,304,417 Underwood May 20, 1919 1,438,043 Kohnle Dec. 5, 1922 1,682,540 Schlegelmilch Aug. 28, 1928 2,095,437 Fox Oct. 12, 1937 2,134,002 Moat Oct. 25, 1938 2,605,566 De Dell Aug. 5, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 14,089 Great Britain June 14, 1911 18,091 Switzerland Oct. 26, 1898 

